


Geniuses Can Be Afraid, Too.

by wholegrainloaf



Category: Criminal Minds (US TV)
Genre: First Kiss, First Time, Fluff, M/M, Rating May Change, Reid is insecure but we love him, Tags May Change, bed sharing, but Hotch is already divorced, hotel room, pre and post Chester Hardwick episode
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-01
Updated: 2020-08-01
Packaged: 2021-03-06 00:27:29
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,348
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25604305
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wholegrainloaf/pseuds/wholegrainloaf
Summary: Reid is scared of thunderstorms. He also happens to be sharing a room with Hotch. Things happen.
Relationships: Aaron Hotchner/Spencer Reid
Comments: 8
Kudos: 98





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I haven’t written in about three years... I hope my writing is understandable.

Spencer Reid was not one who got scared easily. Being a profiler was certainly terrorizing, but after doing his job for the amount of years he had, the fear wasn’t nearly as paralyzing. However, having to share a room with his boss (his extremely handsome boss who he may have a large crush on), was a completely different type of fear than being held at gunpoint. 

Spencer was surprised when Hotch had chosen to take him along on the questioning of Chester Hardwick. He never paid much attention to Spencer unless he was telling him to stop spouting facts and statistics. In all honesty, it was completely irrational to harbor feelings for his boss. Yet, in another way, it made complete and total sense. 

Hotch never teased him like Morgan did, but he wasn’t severely distant like Prentiss or even Rossi. J.J. was his best friend, but not someone he’d want to be romantically involved with. The only person on his team left was Garcia, and well... she’s a good person, she’s a bit too eccentric for Spencer’s tastes. He doesn’t really bother thinking of anyone outside of the team since he doesn’t socialize much outside of work. Because of these reasons, Hotch is definitely the way to go.

Hotch also holds a lot of admirable qualities in Spencer’s eyes. He’s a good person, a loving father, he can be very humorous when he chooses to be, and there’s also the plus of him being extremely hot. Like, breathtakingly hot to the point where Spencer can think of Aaron stripping down and-

Wait

When did Spencer start thinking of him as Aaron?

Probably when he realized that he’s in love with him. But right now, that’s besides the point. The point is that he’s about to spend the night in the same hotel room as him. Like, tonight. 

‘What the hell am I going to do?’ Spencer mused.

***

“It’s a good thing that we got here at the time we did,” Hotch said with exhaustion in his eyes. “That storm outside is getting pretty nasty.”

“Yeah, I checked the radar a few minutes ago,” Spencer said. “It’s supposed to remain stationary over this area for a few hours... great.”

As he swiped the key card to get into their room, Hotch looked at Spencer curiously.

“Are you alright?” Hotch asked with an odd look in his eyes. “You seem off. Nervous, even.”

Spencer shook his head and shrugged, and he then pilled out his phone to check the radar once more.

“Our current location is about to be engulfed in the maroon shading,” Spencer spoke with a frown. “Supposedly there’s a lot of thunder and lightning to come.”

Suddenly, Spencer’s odd behavior clicked in Hotch’s mind.

“You’re afraid of thunderstorms,” Hotch spoke as a statement, not a question. “Our resident genius actually has a fear.”

Spencer froze in place.

“It’s okay to be afraid,” Hotch reassured, believing he had upset his subordinate. “Everyone has something irrational that they’re afraid of. Personally, clowns severely creep me out. But I never told you that, got it?”

Spencer looked up as Hotch spoke and saw that he had a small smile on his face, partially revealing the dimples in his cheeks that Spencer loved. Spencer gave a small smile in return but quickly averted his eyes, still slightly embarrassed of his fear. Hotch understood this as a cue that the conversation was over, and moved to strip his suit jacket and tie off next to his chosen bed (Spencer didn’t even notice that he’d chosen a bed). 

As Hotch began to unbutton his shirt, Spencer quickly turned away from him and let out a small noise that resembled the squeak of a mouse.

“W-What are you doing?” Spencer stuttered. He hadn’t expected Hotch to change right next to him, why couldn’t he change in the bathroom?! 

“Changing, why?” Hotch seemed amused.

“But, why, why not in the bathroom?” Spencer managed to stammer out, feeling heat flush his neck and face. The last thing Spencer wanted was to get hard in front of Hotch and-

Oh. Oh no. Hotch just looked at Spencer’s pants. More specifically the bulge forming in his pants. Spencer felt more blood rush to his face (and his groin, God, why did this have to happen?), and he promptly turned on his heel and darted into the small bathroom and locked the door. He could hear Hotch walk up to the door and knock while sounding concerned, but quite frankly, Spencer was too mortified to face him. He felt tears begin to run down his cheeks and he tucked his head into his knees. 

He may be a genius, but right now he felt like an idiot.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hotch comforts Reid after upsetting him. Confessions ensue.

“Reid, if you don’t open this door I’ll kick it down.” Hotch said in an exasperated tone.

On the other side of the door, all that was heard were a few muffled sobs.

“I don’t understand why you’re so upset, Spencer,” Hotch continued. “It’s natural. It happens to the best of us. I’m not angry or disgusted, it doesn’t matter.”

Spencer’s attention was drawn when Aaron used his first name, but his final statement made him break down.

“Spencer? What’d I say? I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to offend you,” Hotch said with a worried look. “I’m being serious, it doesn’t matter to me.”

Spencer quickly fumbled with the lock to the bathroom door and swung it open. The way he looked in the moment- red eyes, tear tracks, utterly broken- both hurt Hotch and made him confused. 

“That’s the problem,” Spencer choked out. “It doesn’t matter. How I feel about you doesn’t matter. I’ve-“ Spencer took a deep, shuddering breath. “I’ve been in love with you for nearly three years. I got... excited because I saw you stripping down, not because it’s just ‘natural’. I don’t know what to do with my feelings, okay?!” Spencer froze, realizing what he’d said. He just admitted his feelings to Hotch. Ho- Aaron, who was standing right in front of him with a disbelieving look on his face.

“I’m such an idiot.” Spencer muttered as he turned to step back into the bathroom. Suddenly, he felt himself get yanked back by strong arms.

“Wh-“ Spencer was cut off by his face being buried into Aaron’s chest. Warmth spread throughout his body, and he went weak in the knees. He pulled his head back slightly so he could look into the deep brown eyes above him. 

“Spencer, there’s no reason for you to feel bad, really. You’re really, you really love me?” Hotch asked with a slightly sappy gaze, a gaze in which Spencer believed he’d never see.

“Yes,” Spencer whispered into his chest. He took a deep, shuddering breath and continued on. 

“I love your eyes, and your hair, and the way that you care for Jack, and your voice, and your smile, and how you’d do anything to help someone, and-“ He was cut off by a gentle press of lips. Spencer promptly moaned and sunk even farther into Hotch, intoxicated by the kiss that he never thought he’d receive. As Hotch began to move his lips against Spencer’s own, fireworks erupted through his being, never wanting the moment to end. Sadly, Hotch pulled back softly, and looked back at Spencer with large, dilated pupils.

“I love you, too, Spencer,” Hotch said in a husky voice. “I’m sorry for hurting you earlier. I though if I stripped next to you you might just let your eyes wander, not get uncomfortable. I’m so sorry.” Hotch pressed his lips to Spencer’s forehead. Soencer was so overwhelmed with emotions, he hadn’t even thought about the storm outside. That is, until a large crash of thunder and flickering of lightning rang through the room.

“Holy shit,” Spencer whined, beginning to shake. “I really do hate storms.” Hotch looked slightly taken aback for a moment.

“You just swore.” He said amusedly.

“No.”

“Yes.”

“Shut up.”

This was on the right path to help distract Spencer from the storm, so Aaron spoke two magic words:

“Make me.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m sorry that I write such short chapters lol

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading ;)


End file.
